The selection committee has found a distinguished Prize Winner for 2007. Professor Meakin has more than 350 publications with referee and about 15 000 citations, ruling as one of the most cited in physics in the world, in fact the 79th most cited in the period 1981-1997. His stay at the University of Oslo has made him significant to Norway. He is currently Professor II at the Center of Excellence "Physics of Geological Processes" (PGP), see link in the right column for more details.

Professor Paul Meakin scores high on all of the criteria set up for the Randers Physics Research Prize. He has documented the most outstanding professional quality and his work has lead to an increased fundamental understanding within many fields of materials science, complex materials and processes.

Meakin has a broad science background spanning chemistry, physics and geology. He has worked in the industry, academia and at INL. “We are going to build the computational future of this laboratory,” says David Miller, director of Physical Sciences. “Paul’s energy and breadth of experience make him the ideal leader for our new center.”

When Battelle Energy Alliance took over management of Idaho National Laboratory in February, it promised to establish a new research center focused on high-performance computer modeling. Paul Meakin was chosen to head up the new Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (CAMS), a resource that INL scientists will be able to turn to for help with their supercomputing needs.

Besides his position as Director at The Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation, Idaho National Laboratory, Meakin is Professor II at Emory University, Department of Physics, and Professor II at The Norwegian Center of Excellence,  “Physics of Geological Processes”,  the Institute of Physics at the University of Oslo. More information about his position at INL is available in right column. Here is also a pdf-file describing INLs strategic plan.

H.M. King Harald V and a range of prominent guests from the Storting, the Ministries, the industry and research community in Norway are invited to the honoring of the Prize Winner.

The prize, consisting of a work of art and NOK 100.000,-, may be awarded to Norwegians or persons connected to Norwegian research environments. Gunnar Randers Research Prize was established in 2001 and is awarded every second year in recognition of work in the area of physics of condensed matter, specifically work leading to advances in basic knowledge, innovation or technological breakthrough.

The Prize is awarded by an international committee consisting of Nobel Prize Winner Ivar Giæver, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Oslo, Professor David Sherrington, Oxford University, Professor Eivind Hiis Hauge, NTNU and Professor Arne Skjeltorp, Institute for Energy Technology (IFE).

This is the fourth time the Gunnar Randers Research prize has been awarded by IFE. H.M. King Harald presented the first Randers Physics Prize to Professor Thomas Ebbesen, University of Strasbourg in 2001. Professor Amnon Aharony, Tel Aviv University won the Prize in 2003, and Education and Research Minister of that time, Kristin Clemet presented the Prize in 2005 to Professor Øystein Hakon Fischer, University of Genève. More information about these events is available under “news” in the right column.

The Prize Lecture after the award ceremony is open to all interested.

For further information please contact Professor Arne Skjeltorp at IFE.